Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The scene at the ballet was most brilliant, as it is always on a Sunday night.
able
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then it is so delightful to have one's eyes pleased with what is on the stage and yet be able to talk.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
almost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
althoughnounUS /ˈalthough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
always
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The scene at the ballet was most brilliant, as it is always on a Sunday night.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The scene at the ballet was most brilliant, as it is always on a Sunday night.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The scene at the ballet was most brilliant, as it is always on a Sunday night.
auditorium
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
ballet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The scene at the ballet was most brilliant, as it is always on a Sunday night.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Then it is so delightful to have one's eyes pleased with what is on the stage and yet be able to talk.
black
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
blue
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
boxes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
brilliant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The scene at the ballet was most brilliant, as it is always on a Sunday night.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But Tamara, as she sat and looked at it, was not enjoying herself.
delightful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then it is so delightful to have one's eyes pleased with what is on the stage and yet be able to talk.
enjoying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But Tamara, as she sat and looked at it, was not enjoying herself.
evening-dress
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then it is so delightful to have one's eyes pleased with what is on the stage and yet be able to talk.
feelingnounUS /ˈfeeling/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading She was overcome with a vague feeling of unrest.
gala
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
gay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
glittering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Then it is so delightful to have one's eyes pleased with what is on the stage and yet be able to talk.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading But Tamara, as she sat and looked at it, was not enjoying herself.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The scene at the ballet was most brilliant, as it is always on a Sunday night.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The scene at the ballet was most brilliant, as it is always on a Sunday night.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
ladies
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But Tamara, as she sat and looked at it, was not enjoying herself.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
mass
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
most
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The scene at the ballet was most brilliant, as it is always on a Sunday night.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The scene at the ballet was most brilliant, as it is always on a Sunday night.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But Tamara, as she sat and looked at it, was not enjoying herself.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The scene at the ballet was most brilliant, as it is always on a Sunday night.
one's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then it is so delightful to have one's eyes pleased with what is on the stage and yet be able to talk.
overcome
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was overcome with a vague feeling of unrest.
pleasednounUS /ˈpleased/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Then it is so delightful to have one's eyes pleased with what is on the stage and yet be able to talk.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But Tamara, as she sat and looked at it, was not enjoying herself.
scene
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The scene at the ballet was most brilliant, as it is always on a Sunday night.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But Tamara, as she sat and looked at it, was not enjoying herself.
silk-curtained
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Then it is so delightful to have one's eyes pleased with what is on the stage and yet be able to talk.
spectacle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
stage
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then it is so delightful to have one's eyes pleased with what is on the stage and yet be able to talk.
Sunday
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The scene at the ballet was most brilliant, as it is always on a Sunday night.
talk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then it is so delightful to have one's eyes pleased with what is on the stage and yet be able to talk.
Tamara
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But Tamara, as she sat and looked at it, was not enjoying herself.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The scene at the ballet was most brilliant, as it is always on a Sunday night.
Then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then it is so delightful to have one's eyes pleased with what is on the stage and yet be able to talk.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Then it is so delightful to have one's eyes pleased with what is on the stage and yet be able to talk.
uniforms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
unrest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was overcome with a vague feeling of unrest.
vague
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was overcome with a vague feeling of unrest.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The scene at the ballet was most brilliant, as it is always on a Sunday night.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Then it is so delightful to have one's eyes pleased with what is on the stage and yet be able to talk.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The great auditorium, with its blue silk-curtained boxes, the mass of glittering uniforms, and the ladies in evening-dress, although they were all in black, made a gay spectacle almost like a gala night.
yetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading Then it is so delightful to have one's eyes pleased with what is on the stage and yet be able to talk.